Beast King GoLion

Beast King GoLion
File:Golion Title.PNG Title Card
百獣王ゴライオン (Hyaku Jūō Goraion)
Genre	Mecha
Anime television series
Directed by	Katsuhito Taguchi
Produced by	Yoshinobu Nishizaki Itaru Orita
Written by	Susumu Takaku
Music by	Masahisa Takeichi
Studio	Toei Animation
Original network	TV Tokyo
Original run	March 4, 1981 (1981-03-04) – February 24, 1982 (1982-02-24)
Episodes	52

Beast King GoLion (百獣王ゴライオン, Hyaku Jūō Goraion, The King of Hundred Beasts GoLion) is a Japanese super robot anime television series. The animation from GoLion was edited and trimmed to create the Lion version of the U.S. Voltron: Defender of the Universe series, with new names and dialogue, as well as several plot changes. In 2008, GoLion was released on Region 1 DVD in three volumes.

Story

GoLion's story set in 1999, when the planet Altea is subdued and enslaved by the Galra Empire. Five space pilots return to Earth to find the planet annihilated by thermonuclear war. Eventually, the explorers are captured and enslaved, and forced to fight for their lives in Emperor Daibazaal's arena. The young pilots escape and eventually land on the planet Altea, where they discover the secret of the mighty sentient robot GoLion, the only weapon powerful enough to defeat Emperor Daibazaal's forces. Thousands of years ago, GoLion was an arrogant robot who, after defeating several Beastmen, tried to challenge the goddess of the universe into battle, but failed. For GoLion's hubris, the goddess taught him humility by separating him into five pieces in the form of five lion robots that sailed through space and crash-landed on Altea, to lay in wait for those who would one day reawaken him to fight evil once again.

Characters

The GoLion team

• Akira Kogane (黄金 旭, Kogane Akira) / Voiced by: Kazuhiko Inoue

Nickname: Chief (チーフ, Chīfu) An even-tempered young man and a natural leader, Akira leads the GoLion team in the Black Lion and wears a red uniform. A strategic thinker, he can quickly assess whatever difficult situation the GoLion team is in, and take decisive and often correct action. He is known to be quite rough on his team at times in accomplishing their goals, but he is a ultimately a fair leader who cares deeply for his comrades. Kogane counts on all of them to be up to the challenge of opposing Galra, as Golion's allies are likewise counting on them. "Kogane" is based on the Japanese word for gold.

• Takashi Shirogane (銀 貴, Shirogane Takashi) / Voiced by: Ryūsei Nakao (Episode 1-6)

Nickname: Quiet (黙り, Danmari) Takashi was the original second-in-command. He piloted the Blue Lion and wore a black uniform. He is approximately the same age as Akira. In episode 6, he was wounded during an attack by Honerva and later died from his injuries. He was given a hero's burial. Princess Fala replaced him as the Blue Lion's pilot. He had a younger brother named Ryou, who, along with Princess Amue, joined the heroes in the fight against the Galra Empire. Ryou also perished in battle. "Shirogane" is based on the Japanese word for silver.

• Isamu Kurogane (黒鋼 勇, Kurogane Isamu) / Voiced by: Yū Mizushima

Nickname: Moody (お天気屋, Otenkiya) Second-in-command of GoLion, Isamu pilots the Red Lion and wears a blue uniform. He is tall, wiry, and wily, and is approximately 21-23 years of age. Isamu is always joking and teasing others whenever he gets the chance. He is the only one in the group who contests any of Akira's commands. He is also a ladies' man and a great pilot, though a bit too daring at times. "Kurogane" is based on the Japanese word for steel.

• Tsuyoshi Seidō (青銅 強, Seidō Tsuyoshi) / Voiced by: Tessho Genda

Nickname: Hothead (向こうっ気, Mukōkki) Tsuyoshi is the quick-tempered strongman of the group. He pilots the Yellow Lion and wears an orange uniform. He is roughly 22-24 years old. He may look tough and mean, but he has a soft heart, especially when it comes to children. He is never late for a meal. Though his friends tease him about his appetite, Tsuyoshi is very muscular. "Seidō" is based on the Japanese word for bronze.

• Hiroshi Suzuishi (錫石 宏, Suzuishi Hiroshi) / Voiced by: Masako Nozawa

Nickname: Shorty (チビ, Chibi) Hiroshi is the youngest and smallest of the group. He pilots the Green Lion and wears a green uniform. He is approximately 12 years old. Hiroshi graduated from the academy at a young age, and his specialty is science. Like the others, he is well-trained in martial arts, and uses his size and agility to his advantage, owing to his ninja lineage. Hiroshi is not afraid to speak his mind, especially to the villains. "Suzuishi" is based on the Japanese word for tin.

• Princess Fala (ファーラ姫, Fāra-hime) / Voiced by: Rumiko Ukai

Fala, is the ruler of the Kingdom of Altea, and is 16 years old. She was raised by Raible after her parents were executed by Daibazaal when she was a year old, and has sworn revenge against him for ravaging her planet. After the death of Shirogane, Fala takes it upon herself to pilot the Blue Lion, much to the surprise of everyone. As Blue Lion's pilot, she wears a pink uniform, the spirit of her father will sometimes appear, and provide guidance. At 16 years of age, she is strong-willed and a bit naïve, resisting attempts by Raible and Hys to make her behave in a more royal fashion. Fala is also relatively inexperienced as a pilot, which occasionally puts both herself and GoLion in danger. She is also lustfully pursued by Imperial (whom she detests), due to her resemblance to his dead mother, Emperor Daibazaal's concubine. Her sole living relative is her aunt, Queen Elena. She is friends with a family of mice (Platt and Chuchule) who have kept her company since she was a little girl.

Other allies

• Strategist Raible (軍師ライブル, Gunshi Raiburu) / Voiced by: Yūji Fujishiro

Raible is Fala's royal adviser and is in charge of the Castle Control. He spirited away the baby Fala from the clutches of Daibazaal 15 years earlier, and raised her like his own daughter. He also advises the GoLion team, and can be very over-protective of Fala and opinionated at times.

• Senior Court Lady Hys (女官長ヒス, Jokanchō Hisu) / Voiced by: Kazuyo Aoki

Hys is Fala's over-protective caregiver, who always wants to make all of Fala's decisions for her. Like Raible, Hys fusses over the Princess, and is bent on keeping her away from all harm. She often comes into conflict with the four men on the Golion team, out of concern they are causing a negative influence on Fala. Suzuishi sometimes derogatorily calls her "Hys-teria." She dies near the finale when protecting Raible from a laser blast.

• King Raimon (ライモン王, Raimon Ō) / Voiced by: Mahito Tsujimura

King Raimon is Fala's deceased father and previous ruler of Planet Altea. Fifteen years earlier, Raimon went forth to battle against Emperor Daibazaal and his Galra forces. He was caught and executed with his wife and elder children, leaving Fala as his only surviving descendant. His body and the keys to the Lions were placed in a royal tomb located right underneath the castle. He returns to the world of the living every so often as a ghost to give advice to Fala to help her in her struggle against the Galra Empire.

• Space Mice (宇宙鼠, Uchū Nezumi) (voice actors unknown)

A family of five mice that live in Gradam Castle. They were Princess Fala's only friends while she was growing up, and she is the only one who can understand their language. The father mouse's name is Platt (プラット, Puratto) and the mother mouse is Chuchule (チュチュール, Chuchūru). Their nemesis is Jaga, the cat of the witch Honerva.

• Ryou Shirogane (銀亮, Shirogane Ryō) / Voiced by: Ryūsei Nakao

Takashi's younger brother, a former prisoner on Planet Galra who escapes and later rescues Princess Amue. He bears a strong resemblance to his older brother, though he has longer sideburns. Ryou learns from Amue that Takashi is dead, and vows to avenge his death. In the final episode he kills Sincline at the cost of his own life.

• Princess Amue (アミュー姫, Amyū Hime) (voice actor unknown)

Princess Amue is Fala's cousin. She lives on Planet Heracles, where she co-rules with her younger brother, Prince Alor. Her father, King Heracles, once had an alliance with Emperor Daibazaal. Her older brother, Prince Samson, was transformed into a Beast Fighter, which caused his death at the hands of Galra for refusing to fight further. She is a dead-ringer for Princess Fala in terms of physical appearance. Though once a slave of Sincline, Takashi's brother Ryou came to her rescue when she was about to be executed, together they fight for her people against the Galra Empire. Amue appears to have romantic feelings for Ryou.

• Prince Alor (アロン王子, Aron Ōji) / Voiced by: Mari Shimizu

Princess Amue's younger brother. He used to admire Sincline's skill as a fighter, but after witnessing the deaths of both his father and older brother by Galra forces, followed by the abduction of his sister by Sincline, the young prince is left devastated. With the encouragement of the Golion team, he joins forces with them and Altea in their fight with Galra, and to rescue Amue from Sincline's clutches.

• The Goddess of the Universe : She is one that split the GoLion into five robotic lions to teach the GoLion humility. So many years later, after GoLion proven his worth and learning humility, the Goddess of the Universe restores the GoLion's lost power and made it stronger than ever.

The Galra Empire

The Galra Empire (ガルラ大帝国, Garura dai Teikoku) are a race of merciless individuals who even oppress their own people. They capture other planets and enslave their population, forcing them to serve its evil ruler, Emperor Daibazaal. Daibazaal's son, Prince Sincline, conquered other worlds and beheaded their leaders as trophies. The Galra Empire invades planets with the aid of Galran Beast Fighters.

• Emperor Daibazaal (ダイ・バザール大帝王, Dai Bazāru Daiteiō) / Voiced by: Kosei Tomita (Episode 1-51)

The Emperor of Galra and a sadistic, tyrannical, supreme ruler who is the illegitimate child of the previous emperor and Honerva. He uses his subjects and even his own son, Sincline, as his scapegoats whenever he fails. He hates all that is good and wants to conquer the universe. He has enslaved countless civilizations, claiming them for the glory of himself. He loses his temper easily, and even killed one of his allies the ruler of Jarre when his birthday celebration was ruined by GoLion. Later, he sentences Sincline to imprisonment as part of the Galran law against repeated failures. Daibazal's slaves are usually humans, but at one point he raped a blonde Altean woman to produce his son, Sincline. When he failed in his mission after imprisoning his own son for failure, Sincline turned the tables and forced him to pilot Mecha Beast Fighter Galra made in his own image. Although he was able to pin down GoLion and almost destroy him with a battle axe, a miracle occurred. GoLion's sword emitted a sudden energy boost, and his repaired Laser Sword managed to backfire at the Beastman, weakening him severely. GoLion destroyed the robot with Daibazaal inside, killing him.

• Prince Sincline (シンクライン皇太子, Shinkurain Kōtaishi) / Voiced by: Akira Kamiya (Episode 14-52)

Crown prince of Galra and a half-Altean. A dangerous, cunning, and occasionally unstable adversary, Sincline's brutality rivals even his father's, his only weakness is the fact that he fell in love with Princess Fala, who somewhat resembles his mother whom his father, Emperor Daibazaal, killed after begging a favor to pardon the other prisoners but was refused. He plots to overthrow his own father and marry Princess Fala. He is a sly, scheming villain with a sense of honor, preferring to fight fair over his father's dirty tactics, and is Akira's frequent rival. Like his father, Sincline loses his temper easily and kills his own men with very little provocation. He even killed his own slave woman once when she accidentally spilled some liquid Sincline was drinking on his leg. Towards the end, Sincline and his followers depose Daibazaal, and Sincline declares himself emperor. Unfortunately for him, the tide has since turned against Galra, and Golion and his allies have brought the fight to the planet Galra itself. Sincline finds himself completely surrounded in his castle by the Golion force. Realizing the game is up, Sincline's remaining followers plead with him to surrender for the sake of Galra, to which he responds by summarily executing them. The Golion team plus Ryou enter the castle to capture Sincline, but he managed to escape to the top of the castle, taking Ryou with him as a hostage. On the top spire of Castle Galra, Sincline prepares to melt down GoLion with a beam cannon, while holding Ryou at sword-point. The space mice attack Sincline with their robot, distracting him long enough for Ryou to stab him in the chest with a dagger, and they both fall off the spire to their deaths.

• Honerva (妖婆ホネルバ, Yōba Honeruba) / Voiced by: Masako Nozawa (Episode 1-51)

A scientist/witch who uses certain magic spells, like hypnotism, and disguises. She also creates the legendary Beast Fighters, which are the apex of Galran technology and sends them against GoLion. She is hinted to be secretly the previous emperor's mistress and despises Sincline's Altean blood. When Emperor Daibazaal piloted the last Beast Fighter, she wanted to grant the Emperor victory. She is killed by Prince Sincline's sword at the end of the series after the destruction of Galra Castle when she betrays him by helping GoLion instead and revealing the truth that Daibazaal was her illegitimate son by the previous emperor (thus making her Sincline's grandmother though he felt no attachment to her), and that Sincline's mother was an Altean woman.

• Jaga (ヤガ, Yaga) (Episode 1-51)

Honerva's pet Space Cat, with whom Honerva is able to communicate (similar to how Fala can communicate with the Space Mice). He is the arch-enemy of the Space Mice. Sincline killed him by slashing him before killing Honerva.

• Sadak (サダック, Sadakku) / Voiced by: Kenichi Ogata (Episode 1-14)

Military commander of Planet Galra. He heads the invasion force as the Emperor's best general. However, his constant failures against GoLion for so long caused him to be sentenced to death by the Emperor. Banished, Prince Sincline gave him a chance to become a gigantic Beast Fighter and fight GoLion to redeem himself. When this happened, he was killed by GoLion in their final battle, allowing Sincline to step in as commander of the Galran military against Planet Altea.

• Gobra (ゴブラ, Gobura) / Voiced by: Minoru Inaba (Episode 17-52)

A soldier assigned to Prince Sincline. Killed by Sincline in the last episode.

• Blackman Soldiers

Galran foot soldiers that perform sadistic operations like starving, whipping, and killing slaves.

• Reggar (Episode 37)

He was trying to get the position of Supreme Commander of the Galra Air Force. However, he was killed in battle against GoLion while piloting a seemingly undefeatable Beast Fighter, when he presumably committed suicide.

Golion

Golion was separated into five separate lion robots by a space goddess who wished to teach Golion humility until he could be reassembled. Golion later gains a soul after being reawakened by the five pilots who use Golion to protect the universe from Emperor Daibazaal's forces. Golion is 60 meters (197 ft) tall, and weighs 772 tons. Individually, the lions weigh 154.2 tons.

• Black Lion (黒獅子|Kurojishi)

Forms the body and head of GoLion. Powered by lightning. Piloted by Akira.

• Red Lion (赤獅子|Akajishi)

Forms the right arm of GoLion. Powered by fire. Piloted by Isamu.

• Green Lion (緑獅子|Midorijishi)

Forms the left arm of GoLion. Powered by wind. Piloted by Hiroshi.

• Blue Lion (青獅子|Aojishi)

Forms the right leg of GoLion. Powered by water. Piloted by Takashi, and later Fala after Takashi's death.

• Yellow Lion (黄獅子|Kijishi)

Forms the left leg of GoLion. Powered by earth. Piloted by Tsuyoshi.

Weapons

Each Lion has a Lion Blade (a boomerang held in the lion's mouth), dorsal missiles, and shoulder-mounted lasers. Golion is armed with the following:

• Ten Kings Sword (十王剣, Jūōken) — Golion's main weapon. The name is a pun: Jūō written with the kanji 獣王 means Beast King. Golion clasps both arms together and pulls out a sword. The sword is used to defeat the enemy Deathblack Beastmen. Later in the series, it is used to perform the techniques Lightning Drop (稲妻落とし|Inazuma Otoshi) and Meteor Fifth Rank Slash (流星五段斬り|Ryūsei Godan Giri). In Media Blasters' release of GoLion, it is translated as "King's Sword Jyuoken" (when summoning the weapon, otherwise it is simply "Jyuoken").
• Wing boomerang — Boomerang attack from the wings of Golion.
• Space cutter — Bladed discs.
• Eye flash — Beams fired from the eyes of Golion.
• Hurricane attack — Wind attack from the mouth of the Green Lion.
• Laser magnum — Laser-like bullets fired from the mouth of the Green Lion.
• Fire tornado — A burst of flame emits from the mouth of the Red Lion.
• Cross beam — Cross-shaped boomerang fired from the chest.
• Gatling missiles — Small missiles fired from the legs.
• Electromagnetic lance — Weapon used as a spear at times.
• Foot missile — Missiles fired from the mouths of the Blue and Yellow Lions.
• Four lion attack (100 Ton Punch) — The heads of the 4 lions on Golion's limbs launch at once, smashing through their target at the same time. This attack was first used against the mecha beastman Lambda. It requires much energy to perform the attack.
• Grand fire — A stream of flames fired from the mouths of the Blue and Yellow Lions.
• Double Sword — Two blades are pulled from the wings of Golion and attached end to end. Typically thrown like a javelin.

Beastmen

Galran Deathblack Beastmen

Galran Deathblack Beastmen (デスブラック獣人|Desuburakku Jūjin) were previously Beast Fighters, serving as the apex of Galran technology and dark magic, and were sent by Honerva against Golion. Anyone captured and enslaved by the Galran Empire are immediately herded into the arena on Planet Galra where they are forced to fight to the death against the larger, powerful, and deadlier Beastmen who can easily kill them before an enthusiastic crowd. Then the slaves are butchered and made into slave stew, a favorite gruesome dish for the Beastmen to eat and also fed to surviving slaves as a form of forced cannibalism to turn them to be as savage as the Beastmen. Anyone who survives fighting the Deathblack Beastmen are subjected to Honerva's dark magic that changes them into Beastmen to fight Golion.

• Prototype: Appears in episodes 3 and 4 and has no official name. Powers include burrowing, a sword, blue fire balls from the amulet on each wrist, and a 2-tube missile launcher on each hip. At the time of its creation Honerva claims it was the strongest beastman before becoming a deathblack at the time when it was sent to Altea.
• Deathhell: Appears in episode 5. Powers include flight, extendable knee swords, a pink energy bolt cannon on each pectoral, a sword in each shoulder that will explode upon colliding with something if thrown, sharp toe nails, and a 5-tube rocket launcher in the belt buckle. Appears in Super Robot Wars W.
• Galcia: Appears in episode 6. Powers include a meat hook for the left arm, rockets from the knees and right wrist, and a resistance to physical attacks although he is vulnerable to extreme heat. Before he was transformed into a deathblack it is hinted by Honerva that he was an assassin for the Galra Empire. Appears in Super Robot Wars W.
• Mogyula: Appears in episode 7. Powers include burrowing and retractable hands.
• Bambara: Appears in episode 8. Powers include disguising himself as a human, controlling cobras, levitation, a regenerative scythe, and thick skin save for his eyes. He describes himself as the finest hero of the Galra Empire.
• Gagal: Appears in episode 9. Powers include serrated claws for fingers and toes, a chained mace, and brown toxic gas from the mouth. He used to be a human until he made a deal with Daibazaal to become a deathblack to fight Golion in exchange for releasing prisoners.
• Lian: Appears in episode 10. Powers include disguising himself as a white lion with illusions and pink mouth webs, a broadsword, high jumping, swimming, two missile launchers in each pectoral, and restraining hair.
• Bufaloon: Appears in episode 11. Powers include disguising itself as a flying fortress armed with underside tractor beams, flight, a sword in each shoulder, dual pectoral pink laser cannons, heat resistance, and purple eye beams.
• Twin Titan: Appears in episode 12. Powers include having two bodies, a serrated sword, round explosive shield on the left wrists, and rockets in the belt buckles.
• Infiltrator: Appears in episode 13 and has no official name. Powers include burrowing, spring-like arms, swimming, spinning torpedoes and pink energy beams from each pectoral, a flamethrower in each palm, and three rockets in each knee.
• Great Sadak: Appears in episode 14. Powers include torso grenades, finger machine guns, a rocket launcher in each upper arm, four chained anchors in the abdomen, electric pink lasers from the ears, and a resistance to projectiles and heat.
• Mammoth: Appears in episode 16. Powers include levitation, tank treads, a pair of howitzer-like heat cannons for the "trunk", missiles from the palms and knees, launchable hands that emit electricity, a remote drone disguised as its ears, and a resistance to projectiles.
• Samson: Appears in episode 17. Powers include a pair of combinable xiphos swords and a dagger,. Before the events of the episode he was the eldest prince of planet Heracles.
• Plant Beasts: Appear in episode 18. Powers include tentacles, flowers that can fire pink electric bolts from their "mouth", and can combine into the deathblack, Treeder. They are created from a serum composed of the souls of half-beastmen mixed with three trees from Altea.
• Treeder: Appears in episode 18. Powers include a pair of electric whip-like tentacles on the head, armored eyes, a resistance to explosives, and acid missiles in the abdomen.
• Kame Gata War Ship: Appears in episode 19. Powers include burrowing, four harpoons in each shoulder, flight, four galra fighters stored in the flamethrower mouth, and an energy resistant shell that launches scales.
• Batolda: Appears in episode 20. Powers include shoulder missiles, flight, a green sonic beam from the wings, a resistance to heat, and green capture rings from the mouth, and purple electric tendrils from the wings.
• Killwrestler: Appears in episode 21. Powers include a resistance to cold, eyes that can see in snow storms, pink sonic waves from the abdomen, and purple electric bolts from the fingers.
• Deathbeetle: Appears in episode 22. Powers include a purple mouth beam, lightning from the mandibles, a thick exoskeleton, energy machine guns for the lower set of arms, and high jumping.
• Kauman: Appears in episode 23. Powers include a sword in each knee, a pink electric tendril in each wrist and foot, and a white psychic ray from the eye.
• Catgun: Appears in episode 24. Powers include flight, pink eye lasers, red flames from the fingers and mouth, searchlights in the eyes, emitting electricity from its palms, and nunchucks.
• Galra Galactic Train: Appears in episode 25. Powers include flight, a force field, and pink electric eye beams.
• Bullbar: Appears in episode 26. Powers include four arms, immense strength, an invisible barrier, pink chest beams, and swimming. Before he was turned into a deathblack Daibazaal claims he had the most physical strength of any beastman in the Galra Empire.
• Gorgon: Appears in episode 27. Powers include constricting snakes for hair, a matter altering beam from the eye called the Beam Eye that turns enemies to stone at the molecular level, and manipulating the earth for burrowing. She is not a real deathblack, rather she is the last surviving gorgon from planet Meduse and only uses her powers when angered.
• Eliminator: Appears in episode 27 and has no official name. Powers include flight, mouth flames, and a 6-tube missile launcher on the abdomen.
• Devil Burn: Appears in episode 29. Powers include six gas emitters on the chest that allows fires to burn at six thousand degrees for a long period of time, a resistance to heat, flight, extendable pincer claw arms, and a highly explosive body.

Galran Mechablack Beastmen

Galran Mechablack Beastmen (メカブラック獣人|Mekaburakku Jūjin) are the successors of the Deathblack Beastmen and first premier in episode 31; most of their names are taken after letters of the Greek Alphabet. Unlike deathblacks, mechablacks are constructed at planet Galra's occult science plant instead of the coliseum and use beastmen as their brain component.

• Lambda: Appears in episode 31. Powers include flight, armor that prevents it from being scanned or damaged by standard projectiles, two purple beams from each side of the torso, a yellow spiral eye beam, two homing rockets in each wrist, an extendable sword in each hand, three spear-like missiles in each foot, and a bomb launcher on each side of the torso.
• Gamma: Appears in episode 32. Powers include three green lasers from the ball-like right hand, a green electric eye beam, and two guns in the torso that fire pink electric bolts. It is actually a modified second Lambda unit. Appears in Super Robot Wars W.
• Omega-Subgar: Appears in episode 33. Powers include swimming, flight, three extendable claw arms, pink energy bolts from the head, torpedoes from the hands, pink lasers from the wrists, and can regenerate damaged legs. It is stated by Honerva that it can withstand up to 20,000 tons of water pressure.
• Delta: Appears in episode 34. Powers include treads in tank mode, a large drill on each shoulder, a large bomb inside of its body, a double barreled green laser turret on the back, a 6-tube missile launcher in the chest, and flight.
• Pi: Appears in episode 35. Powers include six large wheels that act like steam rollers, two bulldozer blades, a launchable pile bunker-like missile on each side of the body, quick healing, and pink eye lasers. It is actually an Altean construction vehicle possessed by a mechablack brain prepared beastman. Appears in Super Robot Wars W.
• Deadzone: Appears in episode 36. Powers include electromagnetic interference, homing pink lightning bolts from the claw-like hands, and pink heat rays from the two satellite dishes on its head.
• Mu Reggar: Appears in episode 37. Powers include emitting a whirlwind while on land, treads that allow it to move 500 kilometers an hour on land, pink explosive eye bolts, hurricane winds from the wings, and super sonic flight at mach 15.
• Kappa: Appears in episode 38. Powers include a rocket powered shell capable of planetary travel and armed with three toothy jaws that can be used as a giant fan, an extendable neck, four tentacles on the underside, pink eye lasers, and a 2-tube missile launcher in the back fin. Unlike other mechablacks it has five beastmen for a brain component instead of just one, specifically the Death Commandos who are arguably based on the Spetsnaz except for having bladed melee weapons as opposed to firearms.
• Space Wolf: Powers include hypergravity that gives it a gravitational pull several times stronger than Earth's and a very strong electrical field. It is not an actual mechablack rather it is a one kilometer in diameter planetoid controlled by the Galra Empire. Appears in Super Robot Wars W.
• Nu: Appears in episode 40. Powers include four tentacles on each side of the body, a flamethrower in each hip, and three bomb launchers for its head.
• Rho: Appears in episode 41. Powers include a statue disguise, flight, a crown that restrains opponents using electromagnetic restraints, three razor claws on each launchable hand, and twin drills in the abdomen.
• Sand: Appears in episode 42. Powers include high jumping, four sharp claws on each hand, and exhaling sandstorms. Before unwillingly turning into a mechablack he was originally a native sand person of the sand planet.
• Ypsilon: Appears in episode 43. Powers include flight, a bazooka, a wrecking ball for the left hand called the Crusher Ball, an anti-magnetic field, and a pink energy saber.
• False GoLion: Appears in episode 44. Powers include flight and spawning GoLion's weapons based on computer analysis although it cannot attack if its enemy does not first.
• Alpha: Appears in episode 45. Powers include faster than light flight, five missile launchers on the spinneret, eight retractable spear legs, and a resistance to heat.
• Chi Granz: Appears in episode 46. Powers include burrowing, ensnaring chains with bladed claws from the scorpion-like tail, pincer claw arms that fire pink lasers, legs armed with buzzsaws, and regeneration.
• Zeta: Appears in episode 47. Powers include flight, pink explosive lasers from its single eye, and armored claw hands.
• Beta: Appears in episodes 48 and 49. Powers include flight, limb shields armed with purple energy rays on the arm ones, a 2-tube missile pod on each arm a 3-tube missile pod on each leg, a purple electric beam cannon in the chest, a chainsaw for each hand, and two pink electric bolts from each wrist.
• Garla: Appears in episodes 50 and 51 and is based on Emperor Daibazaal Galra who, unwillingly, became the mechablack's brain component. Powers include flight, a large serrated tomahawk, a remote backpack, a skull-like shield that releases orange heat beams from the eyes, three needle launchers in each shoulder, and thick armor.

Changes for Voltron

Main article: Voltron plot changes

GoLion footage was heavily edited and re-assembled by World Events Productions in the U.S. to create Voltron. Changes made to the series included rewritten dialogue, omitted character deaths, toned-down violence, and altered plot developments. In addition, Toei Animation Ltd. created and animated a brand new plot arc specifically for the U.S. Voltron series. Toei sold all of its rights to GoLion to World Events Productions, as GoLion had achieved only average ratings in Japan, in comparison to the popularity of Voltron in the U.S., and the series has yet to receive a DVD release in Japan.

Episodes

1. Escape from Slave Castle
2. The Ruined Phantom Planet
3. A Ghost and the Five Keys
4. Resurrection of the Legendary Giant
5. Fortress for the New Struggle
6. Death of Shirogane the Hero
7. The Beautiful Princess' Battle
8. Stolen Blue Lion
9. Girl of the Land of Evil
10. Secret of the White Lion
11. The Red Rain of Hell
12. Evildoing of the Emperor
13. Introducing Beautiful Honerva
14. The Crown Prince of Hell
15. Overcome the Phantom of Shirogane
16. The Legendary Bridge of Love
17. Challenge from Space
18. Footsteps in the Forest of Fear
19. The Mystery of Ghost Castle
20. Goodbye, Earth
21. Altea's Sister Planet
22. Phantom Space Flowers
23. Friday the 13th
24. Look for the Little Shadows
25. Destroy the Giant Cannon!
26. Defeat the Invisible Enemy
27. Giant Beastman's Lullaby
28. The Demon's Birthday
29. Comes a Fiery Sky
30. The Prince Imperial's Dark Love
31. The Dreaded Mecha Beastman
32. Behold! The 100-ton Punch
33. Terror of the Space Frogs
34. Underground Operation
35. Protect the Soccer Field
36. Mortal Combat of Light and Shadow
37. Space Speed Demon
38. GoLion Hunting
39. The Hypergravity Planetoid Trap
40. No Tomorrow for Altea
41. Brave Shirogane's Brother
42. The Sand Planet of Death
43. Angry Youth Suicide Corp
44. The Planet Jarre Oath
45. The Great Army of Darkness
46. Fight Back, Space Mice
47. The Seven Free Planets
48. Reunion with the Phantom
49. The Last of Hys
50. The Great Storming of Galra
51. GoLion's Desperate Battle
52. Burn Galra Castle

Releases

Media Blasters released GoLion on DVD in the U.S. in 3 volumes. Collection 1 was released on May 27, 2008. Collection 2 was released on August 12, 2008. Collection 3 was released on November 25, 2008.

GoLion episodes have at times been made available for viewing on World Events Productions' YouTube channel.

Staff

• Original Creator: "Saburo Yatsude" (pseudonym for Toei staff)
• General Director: Katsuhiko Taguchi
• Screenwriters: Susumu Takaku, Masaaki Sakurai, Akira Nakahara, Hiroshi Toda
• Episode Direction: Kazuyuki Okaseko, Hiroshi Sasagawa, Kazuya Miyazaki, Johei Matsuura, Tatsuya Kasahara
• Character Designs: Kazuo Nakamura
• Mechanical Designs: Takayuki Masuo, Yoshiro Harada
• Animation Direction: Kazuo Nakamura, Moriyasu Taniguchi, Akira Shinoda, Akira Saijo, Hiroshi Iino, Hiromitsu Oda
• Music: Asei Kobayashi, Masahisa Takeichi

External links

• GoLion (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Hyaku Ju Oh Goraion SGB's GoLion site, shows difference between Voltron and the original GoLion
• GoLion and Voltron at Encirobopedia